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Albertosaurus
'Albertosaurus' (name meaning "''Alberta Lizard") is a genus of tyrannosaurid dinosaur that originated during the Late Cretaceous period in what is now North America. Although this large theropod was physically similar to its relative Tyrannosaurus, Albertosaurus was smaller, faster, and more slender in comparison, measuring only 9 meters long and weighing around 3 tons. Albertosaurus made its first appearance in the episode Lake Primal, where a group of them were captured and brought to the park from Texas of 75 million years ago. The group currently resides in Tyrannosaur Alpine, alongside their fellow relatives including Tyrannosaurus. Facts Era & Discovery Albertosaurus lived in Western North America during the Late Cretaceous period from 78–65 million years ago, living up until the end of the Cretaceous period when it died out with the other dinosaurs. Among the top predators of its ecosystem, it shared its environment with Parasaurolophus, Pachyrhinosaurus, Nyctosaurus, Troodon, and its competitor Deinosuchus. Hence its name, they were first discovered in the state of Alberta, Canada in 1884. However, Albertosaurus was named by Henry Fairfield Osborn in a one-page note at the end of his 1905 description of Tyrannosaurus rex. Physical Attributes Although small compared to other, larger theropods, such as Allosaurus, Carcharodontosaurus, Spinosaurus, Giganotosaurus, and even their larger cousins Tarbosaurus and Tyrannosaurus rex, Albertosaurus was still one of the largest carnivorous dinosaurs that ever walked the Earth. On average, Albertosaurus measured up to 30 feet (9 m) in length from head to tail, stood about 9–11 feet (2.8–3.4 m) tall at the hips and weighed as much as 3 tons (6,000 lbs.). However, several rare individuals grew a little larger, measuring 34 feet (10.4 m) long. A huge theropod closely related to T. rex, Albertosaurus was physically very similar to its cousin, but it was distinguishable from T. rex by a relatively smaller and sleeker build as well as two small, horn-like crests located above each eye. Additionally, like all members of the Tyrannosaur family, Albertosaurus had small, two-fingered arms. Though smaller, less powerful, and more lightweight than T. rex, Albertosaurus was also much faster and more agile, able to gallop forth with great bursts of speed, running as fast as 30–38 mph (48–61 km/h), just about as fast as a modern African lioness, which made it very difficult to both outrun as well as chase down. Albertosaurus ''had a long tail that provided the required balance and it even aided the dinosaur while turning. It was also still strong enough both to head-ram objects with sufficient force to fatally injure a human and to easily crush and kill a human in its jaws. Capabilities and Weaponry *'Speed:' Being smaller than ''T. rex and having hollow bones, Albertosaurus was also faster, able to reach speeds in excess of 38 miles per hour. Not only could this dinosaur potentially outrun T. rex as well as other large carnivorous dinosaurs, but also was a very difficult dinosaur to both outrun and chase down. **'Agility:' With its long tapered tail, Albertosaurus possessed great balance and agility, which allowed it to easily maneuver, despite its relatively large size. *'Hunting:' Albertosaurus lived and hunted in family packs of around five individuals, including juveniles. *'Senses:' Albertosaurus possesses remarkably acute and keen senses of smell and sight. *'Physical Strength:' While not as strong as its larger cousin, Albertosaurus was a considerably strong dinosaur, able to ram down a fully grown Pachyrhinosaurus to the ground. *'Teeth:' Albertosaurus was equipped with sharp, dagger-like teeth. Once Albertosaurus would grab its victim with its powerful jaws, it would rip through flesh and inflict an injury that would cause its victim to bleed to death. Behavior & Traits Being a member of the Tyrannosaur family and like many large theropods, Albertosaurus was a pack hunter, hunting and traveling in groups of several individuals, including juveniles and hatchlings. Albertosaurus ''preyed on the herbivorous dinosaurs of its environment, like ''Parasaurolophus as well as the ceratopsians and ankylosaurs, and brought them down by hunting in cooperative packs. However, it had a rivalry with the giant crocodilian Deinosuchus, ''which was considered to be a top predator in certain parts of North America, specifically where it shared the environment with ''Albertosaurus. Though not quite as terrifying as its larger cousin, Albertosaurus was nevertheless highly aggressive towards practically anything that moved; it was known to run down and eat alive smaller animals it tracked and homed in on when hunting, and it would even snap its jaws to try and catch creatures passing in its sights while it was distracted running. Albertosaurus was an extremely dangerous predator towards smaller animals who were alone or in small numbers of no more than four. Prehistoric Earth: A Natural History Season 2 Super Crocodile Albertosaurus is encountered several times in this episode. Season 3 Journal Entry Gallery 1_Albertosaurus.jpg Albertosaurus.jpg Albertosaurus.png 1000px-Albertosaurus.jpg Trivia *''Albertosaurus'' is among the smallest of the large carnivores to be brought to the park. Additionally, it was the second tyrannosaur brought to the park. *''Albertosaurus'' has been informally referred to even by Palaeontologists as the "sports car edition of T. rex" because it is more slender with a narrow skull. *The sound effects of the Albertosaurus are that of crocodile hisses, leopard roars, and lion growls. Category:Prehistoric Animals Category:Reptiles Category:Dinosaurs Category:Cretaceous Wildlife Category:Cretaceous Dinosaurs Category:Tyrannosaurs Category:Carnivores Category:Theropods Category:Largest Carnivorous Dinosaurs